Anthony Ballantoni

Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead: 83 days to 500

During the off-season, Looking Ahead gives a snapshot of where drivers finished in 2013 and what’s ahead for them in 2014. We will look at drivers who scored at least 400 points in the Cup Series and those who earned at least 250 points in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

With 83 days to go until the 2014 season-opening Daytona 500, here are some driver recaps followed by a tentative list of 2014 Sprint Cup Driver/Team lineups.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):Bobby Labonte finished 34th in the standings and earned 412 points.2013: Drove the No. 47 Toyota for JTG Daugherty Racing. In 28 starts, he led seven laps, had a 29.1 average start of 29.1 and a 29.4 average finish. Best 2013 NSCS start: 20 - Michigan 6/16 and Sonoma 6/23 Best 2013 NSCS finish: 15 - Daytona 2/24 Last career NSCS Win: Homestead 11/16/20032014: No firm plans at this time.

AJ Allmendinger finished 35th in the standings and earned 410 points.2013: Drove 18 races; 9 in the Phoenix Racing No. 51 Chevrolet and 9 in the JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47 Toyota. He had one top 10, a 22.3 average start and a 21.2 average finish. Allmendinger also drove the Penske Racing No. 22 Ford in two Nationwide Series races; winning both events. He entered 6 IZOD IndyCar races in the Penske No. 2 Chevrolet with a best finish of 7th in the Indianapolis 500. Best 2013 NSCS start: 4 - Watkins Glen 8/11 Best 2013 NSCS finish: 10 - Watkins Glen 8/11 Last NSCS Win: None so far.2014: Allmendinger will be the full-time driver of the JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47. The team has formed an alliance with Richard Childress Racing and will switch to ECR Chevrolet engines in 2014.

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS): Dexter Stacey finished 30th in the standings and earned 257 points.2013:Drove 17 races in the KH Motorsports No. 92 Ford. He had an average start of 4.0 and a 28.6 average finish. Stacey also made one start each in the Canadian Tire Series and the ARCA Racing Series. Best 2013 NNS start: 26 - Iowa 6/9 Best 2013 NNS finish: 21 - Iowa 6/9 Last career NNS Win: None so far.2014: No firm plans at this time.

Jeff Green finished 29th in the standings and earned 274 points.2013:Drove 32 races; 25 in the Tri Star Motorsports No. 10 Toyota, 6 in the Tri Star’s No. 14 (subbing for injured Eric McClure) and one in the ML Motorsports No. 70 Toyota.He had an average start of 27.7 and a 35.4 average finish. Best 2013 NNS start: 13 - Talladega 5/4 Best 2013 NNS finish: 16 - Bristol 8/23 Last career NNS Win: Charlotte 5/25/2002.2014: No firm plans at this time.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):Justin Lofton finished 27th in the standings and earned 250 points.2013:Drove Sharp Gallaher Racing’s No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado in eight races. He had two top five, three top ten finishes and led 18 laps. He averaged a 7.1 start and a 13.1 average finish. He also made 13 starts in Robby Gordon’s Stadium Super Truck series in the No. 6 truck. Lofton finished third in the 14 race SST season standings. Best 2013 NCWTS start: 2 - Daytona 2/22, Las Vegas 9/28 and Texas 11/1 Best 2013 NCWTS finish: 4 - Daytona 2/22 Last career NCWTS Win: Charlotte 5/18/20122014: No plans in place at this time for the truck series.

Tim George Jr. finished 26th in the standings and earned 252 points.2013:Drove Wauters Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet Silverado in 10 races. He led 4 laps, averaged a 21.4 start and an 18.9 average finish. Best 2013 NCWTS start: 11 - Charlotte 05/17 Best 2013 NCWTS finish: 14 - Kansas 4/20 Last career NCWTS Win: None so far.2014: No plans in place at this time for the truck series.

During the off-season, Looking Ahead gives a snapshot of where drivers finished in 2013 and what’s ahead for them in 2014. We will look at drivers who scored at least 400 points in the Cup Series and those who earned at least 250 points in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

With 83 days to go until the 2014 season-opening Daytona 500, here are some driver recaps followed by a tentative list of 2014 Sprint Cup Driver/Team lineups.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):Bobby Labonte finished 34th in the standings and earned 412 points.2013: Drove the No. 47 Toyota for JTG Daugherty Racing. In 28 starts, he led seven laps, had a 29.1 average start of 29.1 and a 29.4 average finish. Best 2013 NSCS start: 20 - Michigan 6/16 and Sonoma 6/23 Best 2013 NSCS finish: 15 - Daytona 2/24 Last career NSCS Win: Homestead 11/16/20032014: No firm plans at this time.

AJ Allmendinger finished 35th in the standings and earned 410 points.2013: Drove 18 races; 9 in the Phoenix Racing No. 51 Chevrolet and 9 in the JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47 Toyota. He had one top 10, a 22.3 average start and a 21.2 average finish. Allmendinger also drove the Penske Racing No. 22 Ford in two Nationwide Series races; winning both events. He entered 6 IZOD IndyCar races in the Penske No. 2 Chevrolet with a best finish of 7th in the Indianapolis 500. Best 2013 NSCS start: 4 - Watkins Glen 8/11 Best 2013 NSCS finish: 10 - Watkins Glen 8/11 Last NSCS Win: None so far.2014: Allmendinger will be the full-time driver of the JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47. The team has formed an alliance with Richard Childress Racing and will switch to ECR Chevrolet engines in 2014.

NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS): Dexter Stacey finished 30th in the standings and earned 257 points.2013:Drove 17 races in the KH Motorsports No. 92 Ford. He had an average start of 4.0 and a 28.6 average finish. Stacey also made one start each in the Canadian Tire Series and the ARCA Racing Series. Best 2013 NNS start: 26 - Iowa 6/9 Best 2013 NNS finish: 21 - Iowa 6/9 Last career NNS Win: None so far.2014: No firm plans at this time.

Jeff Green finished 29th in the standings and earned 274 points.2013:Drove 32 races; 25 in the Tri Star Motorsports No. 10 Toyota, 6 in the Tri Star’s No. 14 (subbing for injured Eric McClure) and one in the ML Motorsports No. 70 Toyota.He had an average start of 27.7 and a 35.4 average finish. Best 2013 NNS start: 13 - Talladega 5/4 Best 2013 NNS finish: 16 - Bristol 8/23 Last career NNS Win: Charlotte 5/25/2002.2014: No firm plans at this time.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):Justin Lofton finished 27th in the standings and earned 250 points.2013:Drove Sharp Gallaher Racing’s No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado in eight races. He had two top five, three top ten finishes and led 18 laps. He averaged a 7.1 start and a 13.1 average finish. He also made 13 starts in Robby Gordon’s Stadium Super Truck series in the No. 6 truck. Lofton finished third in the 14 race SST season standings. Best 2013 NCWTS start: 2 - Daytona 2/22, Las Vegas 9/28 and Texas 11/1 Best 2013 NCWTS finish: 4 - Daytona 2/22 Last career NCWTS Win: Charlotte 5/18/20122014: No plans in place at this time for the truck series.

Tim George Jr. finished 26th in the standings and earned 252 points.2013:Drove Wauters Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet Silverado in 10 races. He led 4 laps, averaged a 21.4 start and an 18.9 average finish. Best 2013 NCWTS start: 11 - Charlotte 05/17 Best 2013 NCWTS finish: 14 - Kansas 4/20 Last career NCWTS Win: None so far.2014: No plans in place at this time for the truck series.